Have Your Ever Been In Love
by Sizzlak
Summary: This is no longer a oneshot about Dazzle, and Shimmer two teenagers from District One. I intend to take it all the way to the end. It is my first fan fic I hope you enjoy it, and please review if you have any thoughts.
1. Chapter 1

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever fallen for someone so completely and irrevocably that you know they'll never leave you? Did you know that they felt the same way about you? Did you still find it impossible to tell her how you feel?

Well then you might just understand how I feel. My name is Dazzle, I'm sixteen years old, I live in District One, and I have been in love with my best friend since the day that we met.

I'm with her now, she's sitting across the kitchen table from me as we munch on sandwiches that she'd helped me make. It would be so easy to tell her all I'd have to do is open my mouth and the words would come spilling out, _I love you_. It would only take seconds, and then she would tell me that she feels the same way. I know that she feels the same way. Everyone at school knows how we feel about each other. All I have to do is say it, and we'll be together forever. I close my eyes for a moment gathering my resolve, when I open them again she is looking at me. I open my mouth to let out the words, but I just can't do it.

She is so beautiful her eyes are the crystal blue of the lake by the Justice building on a sunny day, her beautiful blond cascades down her back like a waterfall, shimmering in the light. _Shimmer _that's her name, and so unlike my name, _Dazzle ugh_, it is not hopelessly pretentious instead it does not do her justice, No words can.

"Daz?" her nickname for me, spoken in her beautiful wind chime voice breaks me free of my thoughts. And I realize that I've been sitting here staring at her with my mouth wide open for over two minutes. _Smooth._

"Yea?" I ask somewhat awkwardly, she obviously noticed that I was staring at her, how could she not have, and is looking a little uncomfortable.

"I asked who you thought was going to volunteer this year," she says and for a moment I'm too lost in her voice to reply.

"Umm … Glow might, and I'm sure that there are about a thousand other guys who are dying to get into the arena," I answer after taking a moment to collect my thoughts. Reaping day is tomorrow and clearly she is worried about one of us being reaped.

"What about the girls?" she says in a small voice.

"I can't think of anyone off ha…" I trail off as I glance down at her face, "hey, there's no way that you'll get reaped. It will probably be some poor kid from the bland," I say to comfort her, and its true neither of us is likely to get chosen our parents are rich, at least by district standards, so we've never had to take out any tesserae, the odds are definitely in our favor.

She smiles slightly, "I guess you're right, and even if I do get chosen someone will probably volunteer we are a career district after all."

I smile back at her, "Right," I say, "now I should head home, tomorrow's bound to be a big day.

"Oh… well good night then." She says.

"Night!" I call back as I jog out the door and towards my house. _Why can't I just say it, _I'm at my house now,_ why is this so hard, _in my room crawling into bed, _why can't I tell her!_ Asleep now and dreaming, dreaming of what it will be like when I tell her, how happy we'll be when we're together forever.

I wake up and glance over at my clock _Shit it's 7:30_ I only have an hour and a half to get ready for the Reapings. I know that seems like a long time, but I need to bathe, eat get dressed up and meet Shimmer at her house at 8:30. I was supposed to wake up an hour ago.

I sprint down the stairs and into the kitchen were my mom glares at me disapprovingly while she piles sausage and eggs onto my plate, _one good thing about reaping day the food is awesome. _My mom always makes our favorite foods on Reaping day, I think it's her way of saying "I'm glad you are so unlikely to get reaped."

I devour my breakfast in record time, and then sprint back up stairs into my parents' room where I strip my clothes off and dive into the already full bath tub. After a couple minutes of vigorous scrubbing, with soap and shampoo, I jump out of the bath and towel dry. Then with my towel wrapped around me toga style I make for my bedroom.

About ten minutes later I'm dressed in a dress shirt, dress pants, and a tie, running out the door and down the street towards Shimmer's house. _I'm not even going to be late!_

When I arrive at her house she is outside waiting for me. She takes my breath away. She's wearing a long blue dress that matches her eyes perfectly and her beautiful blond hair is in an elaborate up do.

"Hey Daz," she says smiling

"Shimmer," I gasp out, "you look amazing."

She blushes, "Thanks Daz, you don't look to bad yourself."

We walk to the square chatting amiably about inconsequential things .we arrive at the square with just enough time to get to our section before the mayor begins to speak. As always he talks about the history of Panem and reason for the Hunger Games. Then he introduces our escort, some idiot named Aaron something or other, Aaron steps forwards and says, "Happy Hunger Games!"

Then he makes his way over to the girls reaping ball saying the same thing he's said for the last sixteen years, "Ladies first!"

He sticks his hand into the ball, rummaging around a bit before he pulls out a paper. He holds it up to the light and reads in a loud clear voice, "Shimmer Shine!"

I look at her. She's terrified.

"It's alright, " I say, "someone will volunteer."

She nods slightly then moves towards the reaping balls as though in a daze. Aaron calls out in a loud voice, "Any volunteers?"

No one moves, what's going on we're a career district! There are always volunteers!

Shimmer stands on the stage looking surprised, suddenly determination fills her face, I can almost read her mind, _she's strong, she's been training since she was twelve , she's guaranteed a spot on in the strongest alliance in the Games, why shouldn't she be the one to win._

I'm so absorbed by these thoughts that I completely miss the male tribute being called.

Then for the second time today Aaron asks, "Are there any volunteers?"

Once again the square is still but only for a moment, because then I unfreeze and sprint towards the stage screaming at the top of my lungs, "I volunteer!"

When I arrive on the stage Aaron asks me what my name is, "Dazzle… Frag," I gasp out

Aaron turns back to the audience and says, "Ladies and Gentlemen your tributes; Shimmer Shine, and Dazzle Frag."

Shimmer and I come together in the middle of the stage to shake hands, "Why?" she asks me in loudly enough that the entire square can hear.

"Because I love you," I relpy, and then we are kissing passionately in front of the entire district, while cameras broadcast our image all over the country. I didn't care we were going to be together forever, and then I remember where we are going. Looks like forever's not as long as I thought

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever fallen for someone so completely and irrevocably that you know they'll never leave you? Did you know that they felt the same way about you? Did you ever get up the nerve to tell them? Did you think you would be together forever? Did you seconds later realize that you are about to be put into an arena where you and the person you love would be expected to kill each other?

Well then you might just understand how I feel. My name is Dazzle, I'm sixteen years old, I live in District One, I have been in love with my best friend since the day that we met, and I've just realized that to survive I'm going to have to kill her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to those people who reviewed the first chapter, that's write I've decided to turn this into more than a one shot thanks to a few of the reviews I got. Again thank you for taking the time to review and I'll be sure to keep your suggestions in mind while I write the rest of this thing. Also I'm going to start bouncing between Dazzle's POV and Shimmers after this chapter, just thought I would let you know.**

I'd made up my mind. Only one tribute was going to leave the arena alive… and that tribute was not going to be me. It'd taken only a split second to reach my decision. I would do everything in my power to make sure that Shimmer would make it home alive.

I sit in an elaborately decorated room in the justice center. Everything is vivid red, the colour of blood. I rest on a luxuriously soft couch as I await my friends and family, those who will come to wish me luck in the games. Too bad their wishes would be wasted.

I was oddly content now that my mind had been made up. I had a task, and I would go to the ends of the Earth to see it completed. One of the few kind things that my father had ever said to me was that I am the most tenacious person in the world. I would never give up. No matter what life threw at me I would persevere battling every step of the way until I had reached my goal. Of course that had never involved any actual battle before… but the principle still applied I would not give up.

I am pulled from my thoughts as the door springs open rebounding off the wall as my mother charges through it like a bull, an angry bull. My father is following meekly behind, and that is all. I'm an only child and my friends would be coming after my parents.

I look into my mother's angry eyes surprised to find such a placid character in this state, "You will come home," she says in a determined voice, "no matter what you must do you will come home," then without even so much as a hug she storms out of the room presumably back to the house.

I stare after her in bewilderment then look to my father in confusion. He sighs slightly before speaking, "She's worried about you son… Heck we're all worried about you! The entire country knows why you volunteered, or soon will, and once that happens I bet there won't be a single person out there who doesn't feel sorry for you."

I'm confused by this, "Why?" I ask frowning slightly.

My father smiles sadly at me, "Did you know that you have a good chance of winning? You'll be with the careers, you're strong, fast, and smart…" he trails off for a moment, then snorts quietly and continues, "they'll all see it. They'll all know that you could win, but they'll also know that you won't"

This does not help me understand much, "I'm confused father, how could anyone possibly know that?"

"They'll know because you volunteered to save her," he lets this sink in for a moment before continuing once again, "you've practically committed suicide, the only way for you to live would be to kill her, or watch her die. Of you could also die to save her."

I stare into his kind brown eyes and he stares into my emerald green, "I know that father."

He smiles in pride, but it is tempered in sadness, "I know you do son. I also know which one you will choose, and so does your mother. That's why she's so angry. She thinks that you're giving up without a fight. Good bye Dazzle."

Then he left my father left me in that horrible room proud of me for what I would do, but already mourning my death.

For the second time today my thoughts are interrupted by the door swinging open and rebounding off the wall. This time it is my friends. They smile brightly at me, and begin to chatter away at me, congratulating me for volunteering, and for finally telling Shimmer how I feel.

Only one person seems to be in poor spirits. I walk over to him, "Why so glum Sparkle?"

He shook his head sadly and whispered in my ear, "These people are all idiots!" I raise my eyebrow and beckon for him to continue, and he does… out loud… so that all of them can hear it, "These people are too dumb to realize how much of a tragedy this is. You finally tell her that you love her, and now you're going to the games with her. Only one of you can come home… and we all know that if you have your way it won't be you."

"Odd how everyone seems to know what I've decided, the moment I've decided it… but I can't say you're wrong, I don't plan on coming back."

Sparkle smiles sadly at me, "Here," he says, "I went to your house and grabbed this; I thought you might want it to be your token."

He hands me something that I have not worn since I was about four years old. It's a simple woven friendship bracelet that glimmer had given me when we first met. It used to go around my arm three or four times easily, but now it barely fits around once. I'm amazed that Sparkle knew me well enough to know that this was what I would want my token to be. He was my best friend other than Shimmer, but still I'm amazed that he'd known.

"Thank you," I murmur softly. The significance of the bracelet was not lost on my friends; they all knew what it was, and a heavy silence fell on the room.

Sparkle looks at me eyes full of sorrow and says, "I also gave Shimmer hers, I thought that you'd both want to have them."

I throw myself at him hugging him tightly, and attempting to thank him through my actions since words don't seem to be enough.

We are still embracing when the Peacekeepers arrive to take me to the train.

**So that is chapter two of have you ever been in love, let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm going to start changing perspective probably every chapter, so here's the first chapter from Shimmer's POV. Also, of course this is a lot like The Hunger Games, it's a Hunger Games fan fic…**

**Shimmer's POV**

"Shimmer open up!" Dazzle yells as he bangs loudly on the door. I try to ignore him as I have for the past hour, "Come on Shim talk to me, tell me what's wrong."

"Just go away Dazzle!" I yell at him. I haven't spoken to him since the Reaping, and as soon as I got on the train I locked myself in my room. I haven't come out for an hour, and Dazzle's been at the door from the first.

"Please Shimmer just tell me what's wrong, and I'll fix it, I'll do anything!" a pleading tone has entered his voice.

"Anything?" I ask knowing that this will never work, but unable to resist trying.

"Anything," he answers sounding hopeful.

I open the door, "Fine then you can come in."

He walks into my room and flops down onto the bed, "So what is it that you want from me?" he asks.

I smile slightly, "I'll tell you later."

"Ahh that's no fair Shim, now you've got me all curious and you're not even gonna tell me?" he whines.

"Yep," I say making a loud popping sound on the P.

"well could you at least tell me why you were so upset?" He asks.

My eyes tear up suddenly, I thought I'd cried myself out in the goodbye room. I can't believe that he hasn't figured it out yet, "I'm just worried about what's going to happen in the arena," I lie. Well it's not really a lie, but it's not the whole truth either.

He smiles suddenly, "Don't worry, we'll be fine we're strong, and we'll have the other careers to watch our backs, at least for awhile, then we'll still have each other. One of us is going home Shim,"

If only he knew that that's what I was worried about, "Come on lets go eat and watch the Reapings."

As we walk I think of the goodbyes, especially the last one…

_I look up in surprise to see Dazzle's father walk into the room. He smiles slightly, "Hey Shimmer."_

"_Hi," I say slightly confused._

_He sees my expression and answers the question bouncing around in my mind, "I just came to warn you about what Dazzle's planning."_

_This confuses me even more, "He's planning to betray me ?" I ask alarmed and confused._

"_No not that," he says calmly._

_Then what could he mean, what could Dazzle be… "He's going to Sacrifice himself for me," _

_It's a statement rather than a question, but he answers anyway, "Yep," and then he said, "I know you'll do the right thing, goodbye Shimmer," then he'd left._

I still don't know what he wanted me to do, what was the right thing?

As we reach the dinning cart I've decided. I don't care what the right thing is. I know what I'm going to do. Dazzle's not the only one who can make plans.

**Dazzle's POV**

The food was delicious thin slices of roast beef, with gravy, and mashed potatoes. Even the vegetables, a bean casserole, and a salad were good. Shimmer and I had both eaten until our stomachs groaned in protest, and now we were sitting in the T.V. car waiting for the Reapings to come on.

What ever was bothering Shimmer seems to have passed, and I feel a bit anxious about the promise I made her. I know she wouldn't make it anything too bad, but I don't like it for some reason.

I dismiss those thoughts from my head as the Reapings come on. First it shows District One, and I watch as Shimmer gets Reaped, then the male tribute gets reaped and I'm running towards the stage to volunteer. Then I'm telling her that I love her, and we're kissing.

Aaron sitting beside me sighs, and says with a wistful smile, "That was so romantic."

We all stare at him in disbelief before for a moment before the District Two Reaping comes up. Both tributes from Two are volunteers and they look deadly. I'm glad they're going to be on my side.

District Three's tributes are both small and weak looking, but Three's never relied on strength, they were probably going to be sneaky, and I make a mental note to watch out for them.

District Fours male tribute is tall and muscular, but he also looks really stupid. The girl is slim and absolutely gorgeous; of course she's got nothing on Shimmer though, with a gleam of intelligence in her eyes.

District Five's tributes are surprisingly both volunteers. They might be dangerous.

District Six is a twelve year old boy, and a girl who looks half starved.

The guy from District Seven looks like he might put up a good fight, but the girl is balling from the moment she gets reaped.

District Eight has a volunteer a fourteen year old boy who looked like he might have had a chance if he'd waited a couple years. The girl is another crier.

District Nine is hardly even worth mentioning both tributes are puny and scared looking.

District Ten has two big strong tributes, but they're farmers not warriors they shouldn't be too much trouble.

The tributes from Eleven are unremarkable, average height and build, and they don't seem overly clever.

District Twelve's tributes are weaklings as usual, but I remind myself not to underestimate them. Last year we lost both our tributes too District Twelve.

All in all they don't look too dangerous. I think I have a good chance of getting Shimmer out alive. I glance over at her, and she smiles. For some reason that promise that I made to her still nags my mind, and it is with a sense of foreboding that I bid everyone goodnight, and go to my room.


	4. Chapter 4

**First of all I'd like to thank Amanda (I won't tell you her last name in the interest of protecting her identity plus I doubt you can do much with just her first name) for helping me get over my writers block regarding Dazzle and Glimmer's parade outfits. Next I would like to apologize for taking so long to update, I had writers block lol, and I was working on my new fic Johanna, about Johanna Mason, feel free to check it out.**

**Dazzle's POV**

I'm sitting across the table from Shimmer as we eat our last meal on the train. Its breakfast and both our plates are piled high with eggs, sausages, bacon, and other things that even the rich in District One can rarely afford.

Our mentors: Twinkle and Gleam are telling us what's going to happen when we get to the Capitol, "First you'll be taken to the remake center so that your stylists can make you look presentable for the opening ceremonies," says Twinkle. She's tall… for a woman, but that's the only remarkable thing about her, well that and that she's a victor…

"You may not like what they do to you," says Gleam picking up where Twinkle left off, "but don't resist, do whatever they tell you. You understand?"

Shimmer and I both nod and Twinkle starts talking again, "Now because of your little… confession at the Reaping your stylists have agreed that you two should match, are at least be dressed in complementary outfits."

"They already have several outfits designed for you, and will be deciding which ones you will wear when they meet you shortly," says Gleam once again picking up where Twinkle left off, "you now have time to go back to your rooms and prepare to meet your stylists. We arrive at the Capitol in about an hour."

With that they stand up and depart leaving Shimmer and I alone at the table.

"Well that was abrupt," says Shimmer obviously just making conversation. Twinkle's mention of the Reaping reminded us both of what had happened then, and there was a new awkwardness between us.

I sigh and decide to try to eliminate the awkwardness, "Look Shimmer, about what happened at the Reaping…"

She cuts me off, "No Dazzle there's something I need to say first…"

She pauses so I decide to prompt her, "Go on."

She breathes out slowly then the words rush out so fast it takes me a moment to register what she said, "I love you Dazzle," I open my mouth speak , but she holds up her hand signaling me to stop and continues, "I've loved you since the day we met. I know that you said you loved me at the Reaping, but if you don't that's ok I just wanted to let you know," she's rambling now, and she knows it, but she can't seem to stop herself.

So I decide to help her out. I lean in with my head tilted ever so slightly to one side and she is shocked into silence as our lips meet and move against each other, "Shimmer," I say as soon as our lips our parted, "I meant every word I said at the Reaping," she tries to trap me in another kiss, but I'm not done talking yet, "you're perfect in every way, I've loved since the day we met, and I'll love you until I die."

Then I lean in for one last long, passionate kiss. After that I just hold her as though if I can hold her tight enough now I'll never have to let her go.

"Dazzle?" she says quietly, "do you remember how you promised to do something for me?"

Suddenly I'm filled with foreboding, "Yes."

"Just checking," she says with a small smile, and it is ridiculous how relieved I am. Nevertheless I'm going to have to find out sometime, and I find myself dreading that moment more than the games themselves.

"Come on," I say, "We need to get ready to meet our stylists."

We head to Shimmer's room first and she gives me a quick kiss at the door, "Wait!" I say. "What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know, why?" she asks.

"I think it might be better if we started off matching even before our stylists get to us, it'll set a good precedent," I respond.

"Good idea," she says, "umm… wear a green long sleeved shirt and black pants, I'll find something to match that," with that she gives me a quick peck on the cheek and disappears into her room, I head back to mine to shower and change, wondering all the while, what she is going to ask me to do.

**Shimmer's POV**

I stand under the warm water of the shower for far longer than is necessary, just for the luxury of the water running down my body. Soon I will have almost no comforts, and this is such a small thing really. I randomly press a few buttons, and find myself drenched in lavender scented foam, followed by a shocking splash of icy cold water. After this I decide it's time to go get dressed.

The outfit that I choose is nothing complicated, in fact it's exactly what I told Dazzle to wear: a green shirt and black pants. Despite the simple nature of the clothes they were still nicer than just about all of what I had at home, except of course for my reaping clothes, but I only get to wear those once a year.

After picking my outfit I walk to the dresser, and pick up the bracelet that I will take into the arena as my token. It is made of green and black string, braided together to form a surprisingly intricate pattern, considering that Dazzle had made it the day we met, and we were about four years old at the time. With a surprising show of forethought we'd both made the bracelets so that they would fit around our arms several times as children, so even after twelve years it still wrapped twice comfortably around my arm.

I glance at the clock by my bed and notice that I should be going to meet the stylists, but I have no idea where I'm supposed to go. Almost as soon as I form that thought there is a knock on the door followed by our escort Aaron's annoyingly nasal voice, "Shimmer, I'm here to take you and Dazzle down to meet you stylists."

I quickly leave that room and give Dazzle a quick kiss before we follow Aaron to the train car with the television. On the way I notice that Dazzle has also put on is bracelet, it only fits once around his wrist and even then it seems tight, I sigh wishing for better times.

Sitting on the couches chatting amiably with Twinkle and Gleam are two of the strangest looking people that I've ever seen. The woman has long hair that springs away from her head like groups of wires; each one dyed a different color. Her entire body has been dyed crimson, and she appears to have had sapphires embedded in her skin over her eyebrows, and along her arms.

The man is no less alarming. He's bald, and his head and entire body are died pitch black, but barely any of it is visible as he is covered from head to toe in intricate white tattoos. I could tell that they covered most of his body because he was wearing only what look like a pair of underpants that are three sizes too small, they are of course black, and I can see that the tattoos continue underneath the underpants. Despite all this his eyes are by far his most unsettling feature. He has no irises and no pupils. His eyes are entirely white.

In short they were complete opposites in appearance. While the woman was all bright colors, and rough texture, the man was black and white like an old T. V. show, smooth, and uniform.

The woman take one look at us and proclaims in a high squeaky voice, "You were right Mourir, the emeralds with be perfect with these two."

Gleam hastens to his feet and introduces our stylists, "Shimmer, Dazzle, meet your stylists: Mourir, and Vivre."

The woman stands up and rushes at Dazzle gushing, "Hello Dazzle! It's so great to meet you! I'm Vivre and I'll be working with you this year."

My attention was so commanded by Vivre that I did not even notice Mourir padding up to me on silent feet. He looks at me with an unsettling smile, and says in a completely lifeless voice, so quiet that it was almost a whisper, "Hello Shimmer. I'm your stylist Mourir. I designed your outfits for the parade this year."

"They're going to be sensational!" gushes Vivre.

"I took one look at you two at the Reaping, and decided that it would be best to show as much of your bodies as possible, you both have very attractive figures," the complement is so oddly phrased, and makes almost no sense in Mourir's dead voice.

By the time I puzzle through the complement, and realize what he said before it it's too late to protest because Vivre is already babbling, "… so we decided that the best idea was to cover your most private parts with emeralds, and onyx accents. You'll both be wearing a tight pair of shorts, not unlike the ones that Mourir is wearing. In addition shimmer will be wearing a bra, other than that just jewels!" it really is shocking the contrast between the two of them… and at the moment I'm not sure which one terrifies me more.

**So that's chapter four. I hope you enjoyed it, please review. Oh and for anyone who cares and doesn't already know, Mourir and Vivre are the infinitves of the French words for to die, and to live. I felt that they were appropriate names considering their personalities, and appearances.**


End file.
